1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a portable information terminal for use as an auxiliary memory for an information-handling apparatus, and a recording medium which stores a program to be downloaded into the portable information terminal.
2. Description of the Related Art
Most of game software which has heretofore been available in the market generates a score, a time, a number, etc. as a result of the game having been played. In a shooting game, for example, a greater score is earned when more enemy characters are eliminated. In a role-playing game, the period of time consumed after the game has started until it ends is given as a kind of score. In an action game comprising a plurality of stages (minimum units to be cleared), the number of stages that have been cleared before the game is over is given as a kind of score.
Heretofore, when a game is played, the result of the game is simply indicated to the game player, and cannot effectively be utilized by the game player.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a portable information terminal which is used by an individual and can share information of another portable information terminal used by another individual in addition to its own information, so that the portable information terminal can compare the information of the individual and the information of the other individual with each other, e.g., can effectively utilize game results of the individuals, and the portable information terminal is multifunctional.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a recording medium which stores a program for operating a portable information terminal which is multifunctional.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a portable information terminal comprising a terminal unit having memory means for storing a program and data, manual control means for entering manual control inputs, control means for executing the program and generating at least images based on manual control inputs entered by the manual control means to proceed with the program, display means for displaying the images generated by the control means, transmitting means for transmitting information relative to the program, receiving means for receiving information relative to the program, the control means comprising information processing means for adding information supplied from another portable information terminal via the receiving means to information already held thereby and sorting all the information according to values thereof.
Since it is possible to share information of a portable information terminal which is used by an individual and also information of another portable information terminal used by another individual, the portable information terminal can compare the information of the individual and the information of the other individual with each other, so that the portable information terminal is multifunctional. All the information is sorted according to the values thereof. Therefore, if the information is related to ranks of a match (including a game), then the ranks can easily be confirmed, and hence information can quickly be transmitted and recognized with ease.
If the portable information terminal is used as a game machine, the game results of a plurality of game players can easily be referred to on the terminal of a certain game player, and hence the skill levels of the game players with respect to the game can easily be confirmed.
In the above portable information terminal, the terminal unit may have inherent identification information, the information may comprise result information processed and generated by an information processing apparatus as a master unit for the terminal unit and transmitted to the terminal unit, and the information may be assigned an identification number of the terminal unit after being transmitted thereto.
This allows the terminal of an individual to easily compare the information held by the individual and the information held by other individuals with each other.
Alternatively, the terminal unit may have inherent identification information, the control means may comprise means for keeping at least one representative item of information of all the information having the same identification number when all the information is sorted.
With this arrangement, it is possible to keep the best result information or the result information having a high utility value, and share it with other individuals.
The program may be downloaded from an information processing apparatus as a master unit for the terminal unit. The information may represent a score, a time, or a number generated as a result of the execution of the program.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a recording medium readable by a computer and storing a program and data downloaded from a master unit to a portable information terminal comprising a terminal unit having memory means for storing a program and data, manual control means for entering manual control inputs, control means for executing the program and generating at least images based on manual control inputs entered by the manual control means to proceed with the program, display means for displaying the images generated by the control means, transmitting means for transmitting information relative to the program, and receiving means for receiving information relative to the program, the program and data being executable by the terminal unit, the program having the step of processing information by adding information supplied from another portable information terminal via the receiving means to information already held thereby and sorting all the information according to values thereof.
With the above recording medium, since it is possible to share information of a portable information terminal which is used by an individual and also information of another portable information terminal used by another individual, the portable information terminal can compare the information of the individual and the information of the other individual with each other, so that the portable information terminal is multifunctional. All the information is sorted according to the values thereof. Therefore, if the information is related to ranks of a match (including a game), then the ranks can easily be confirmed, and hence information can quickly be transmitted and recognized with ease.
In the recording medium, the terminal unit may have inherent identification information, the information may comprise result information processed and generated by an information processing apparatus as the master unit and transmitted to the terminal unit, and the information may be assigned an identification number of the terminal unit after being transmitted thereto.
In the recording medium, alternatively, the terminal unit may have inherent identification information, the program comprising step of keeping at least one representative item of information of all the information having the same identification number when all the information is sorted.
In the recording medium, the information may represent a score, a time, or a number generated as a result of the execution of the program.
The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example.